Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have been witnessing days of torrential rains that have caused flash floods in many districts claiming over 33 lives. Several rivers in the States are in spate, flooding low-lying areas and displacing thousands of individuals, who are now staying at relief camps. About 26 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed for rescue operations. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for very heavy to extremely heavy rain at some places in the States.
Schools And Colleges Shut
The calamity, caused by a depression in the Bay of Bengal, has caused massive destruction in the southeast Indian States. The centre spoke to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy to assure them of relief support.
The government ordered to shut schools, colleges, and some offices in response to the IMD red alert. Due to flooding and waterlogging over tracks in several areas, over 100 trains have been cancelled so far, while many others were diverted, the South Central Railway said.
Disaster At A School Averted, Thanks To Prompt Teachers
Amid the disaster, the response of the staff at a residential school in Kuntamukkali of the NTR district on August 31 has garnered attention as they swiftly evacuated 600 girls from the building surrounded by flash floods. The incident came to light on September 5, which is celebrated as Teacher's Day.
The students of Social Welfare Residential Girls’ School and Junior College were asleep in the dormitory when an overflowing canal breached flooding the village. The principal and teachers rushed the girls to the dining room, which is at an elevated place, and called officials to seek emergency assistance.
Srinivas Rao, project director of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), told the outlet that he immediately informed his higher authorities about the incident and dispatched a team of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and boats to rescue the stranded students and staff.
The school authorities won praise from the locals for their swift action. One unnamed villager told the outlet, "It was a Herculean task to evacuate about 600 girls, many boats were used... But if not for the presence of mind of the principal and the teachers, it would have been a major tragedy."
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